Shoe-fastener.



No 705,8!7. Patented July 29, I902.

M. 8. BROWN.

SHOE FASTENER. (Application Med Dec. 14, 1901.)

(No Model.)

jiwew/zoif flmm UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MILTON S. BROWN, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRIOT OF COLUMBIA.

NSHOEI-FASTENER.

$PECIFIOATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 705,817, dated July 29, 1902.

Application filed December 14,1901. Serial No. 85,910. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concerns 7 Be it known that I, MILTON S. BROWN, a eiti: zen of the United States, residing, at Washington, in the District'of Oolu mbia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Shoe- Fasteners, of which the following is a speci fication.

My invention relates to lace-fastenings for shoes, and has for its object to provide an im proved construction of the same whereby thebeing had to the accompanying drawingsyin which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shoe havx ing my improvement thereon. Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section taken through the meeting edges of the upper. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the metallic tube-sections lining the lacing loops.

Similar numerals of reference denote corresponding parts in the several views.

In the said drawings the reference-numeral 1 denotes the ordinary shoe-upper, the meeting edges of same being provided with the usual lacing-eyelets 2 at the lower portion thereof, as shown. Located just above the upper lacing-eyelet on each meeting edge of the upper is a short lacing-loop 3, the same being preferably formed of leather and sewed or otherwise attached to the upper by passing the ends of the same through slits in the outer leather of the upper, so that said ends will underlie the usual lines of stitching 4:, running up the upper a little distance from the meeting edges thereof. Said loops 3 are pro vided with metallic tube-sections 5, flattened on their under sides and held in position by stitching 6, as shown. Located above the short lacing loops 3 and with an intervening space therebetween are the long lacing-loops 7, extendingalmost to the top of the upper and similarly constructed and attached to the upper, except that the metallic tube-sections 8 thereon are curved slightly, for a pur= pose hereinafter to be described.

suitable detachable wire being preferably employed to effect this insertion through the loops 7 The buttons 10 are then attached to the free ends of the lace to prevent accidental withdrawal, and the shoe is ready for use.

When in place on the foot of the wearer, the lace is drawn taut and tied and the edges of the upper thus drawn snugly together, it being observed that the space between the short and long loops lies opposite the ankle-joint, so that free movement is given to the foot of the wearer in walking, While the long loops 7 serve to retain that portion of the upper above the ankle-joint in which no play is desired snugly around the leg, theslight curve in saidloops causingthe lace to exert its pres sure along thewhole length thereof, as will be readily'understood. q While I have shown both pairs of loops 3 and 7 attached to the upper along the lines of stitching at a short distance from the meet ing edges, and while this is particularly desirable with respect to the short loops 3 in order to give more lateral space when the lace is loosened to remove theshoe, still I may attach the long loops 7 to the upper at the extreme meeting edges of the same by insorting them between the outer leather and lining thereof and fastening them along the lines of stitching 11.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a shoe-fastener, the combination with lacing-eyelets extending part way up the meeting edges of the upper, of short lacing loops attached to the upper above said eyelets and lying just below the lineof the ankle-joint, long lacing-loops attached to the upper just above the line of the ankle-joint and extended substantially to the upper-top, and a lace crossed and recrossed through the eyelets and loops and retained against removal therefrom, substantially as set forth.

2. In a. shoe-fastener, short lacing loops attached adjacent the edges of the upper and to the ankle-joint to substantially the top of the upper,- said loops being cu'rved slightly toward each other for a purposesubstantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing 15 witnesses.

MILTON S. BROWN.

Witnesses: WINFIELD F. WORK, LETA' MORSE FERGUSON. 

